Newsletter

Time to clean up the Tea Party's mess

The recent congressional debacle brought on by the Republican and Tea Party doctrine that the government cannot raise revenue has brought this country to its economic knees.

The party of “no! no! no!” will not be satisfied until they have wiped out Social Security benefits and the new health-care benefits. The disintegration of the middle-class quality of life and an increase in the already enormous income gap between the rich and poor will be the result of their ideology.

Only last week, thousands of South Carolinians who could not afford health care were in lines winding outside a free health-care clinic. Hundreds were turned away when the free clinic ended after two days. Isn’t it ironic that South Carolina is the home of the biggest server of tea, U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who like his brethren doesn’t want to raise the revenue needed for health care even in his own state?

The downgrading of our financial rating has the Republican candidates crowing that it is President Obama’s fault. What short memories they have of the Republican president who refused to raise taxes but brought us two wars and an unneeded Part D of Medicare; lowered the tax rate of the rich; and borrowed all the money instead of raising it. The blame game goes two ways, but lands on the Republicans no matter how they deny it.

Let’s see if the new bipartisan committee established by the debt ceiling deal will do the job, which includes deep cuts to the Pentagon and the ending of Bush’s war. If you have your doubts, speak to Tea Partiers; they will make it clear that they won’t let it work.

The president tried his best, but was stained, as this country was, by the bitter tea that is being served on him and the rest of America. Removal of the stain will take much effort by Democratic and independent voters in the next election. It must be done!